Customer Service Sucks/ MH Generally Sucks
Feb 20, 2017, 12:40 pm
#31
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: LCA/KUL/RGN
Programs: RJ Gold, AZ E+, Air Asia Platinum
Posts: 2,189
Just recently had a most stressful experience flying with Malaysia, even though I paid about $612 US for a flight DPS (Bali)-KUL-HKT (Phuket). The problem was that I had a connecting flight on Bangkok Air from HKT-USM (Koh Samui) the same day. When I checked in at DPS the Malaysia Air agent clearly told me that since Malaysia Air had a baggage agreement with Bangkok Air, my bag could be checked all the way through to USM. In fact, the luggage claim tag given by the MH check-in agent at DPS read:
DPS-KUL KUL-HKT HKT-USM
I was also told by the gate agent at KUL that my bag would go through to USM.
I had 2 nice flights on MH, and when I arrived HKT I took the 10 min. or so walk from intl. to domestic terminal for my flight to USM. To my surprise I was told when I tried to get my boarding pass to USM that my bag was NOT going to USM. I had to go back to the intl. terminal, was given various misinformation by HKT airport staff, finally found my luggage and had to go BACK to domestic for check-in to USM. I was really stressed since I was worried about missing my flight to USM. Finally was able to check in at HKT at least 90 min. after arrival of my MH flight. Such a stressful experience after paying $612 to MH for business class. Since I was given wrong info by 2 MH agents. do I have any grounds for asking for a refund from MH? Sorry for the long post, but took a while to explain the situation. Many thanks for any feedback.
DPS-KUL KUL-HKT HKT-USM
I was also told by the gate agent at KUL that my bag would go through to USM.
I had 2 nice flights on MH, and when I arrived HKT I took the 10 min. or so walk from intl. to domestic terminal for my flight to USM. To my surprise I was told when I tried to get my boarding pass to USM that my bag was NOT going to USM. I had to go back to the intl. terminal, was given various misinformation by HKT airport staff, finally found my luggage and had to go BACK to domestic for check-in to USM. I was really stressed since I was worried about missing my flight to USM. Finally was able to check in at HKT at least 90 min. after arrival of my MH flight. Such a stressful experience after paying $612 to MH for business class. Since I was given wrong info by 2 MH agents. do I have any grounds for asking for a refund from MH? Sorry for the long post, but took a while to explain the situation. Many thanks for any feedback.
Feb 20, 2017, 10:15 pm
#33
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The KUL city
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat, TK Elite+
Posts: 2,663
Just recently had a most stressful experience flying with Malaysia, even though I paid about $612 US for a flight DPS (Bali)-KUL-HKT (Phuket). The problem was that I had a connecting flight on Bangkok Air from HKT-USM (Koh Samui) the same day. When I checked in at DPS the Malaysia Air agent clearly told me that since Malaysia Air had a baggage agreement with Bangkok Air, my bag could be checked all the way through to USM. In fact, the luggage claim tag given by the MH check-in agent at DPS read:
DPS-KUL KUL-HKT HKT-USM
I was also told by the gate agent at KUL that my bag would go through to USM.
I had 2 nice flights on MH, and when I arrived HKT I took the 10 min. or so walk from intl. to domestic terminal for my flight to USM. To my surprise I was told when I tried to get my boarding pass to USM that my bag was NOT going to USM. I had to go back to the intl. terminal, was given various misinformation by HKT airport staff, finally found my luggage and had to go BACK to domestic for check-in to USM. I was really stressed since I was worried about missing my flight to USM. Finally was able to check in at HKT at least 90 min. after arrival of my MH flight. Such a stressful experience after paying $612 to MH for business class. Since I was given wrong info by 2 MH agents. do I have any grounds for asking for a refund from MH? Sorry for the long post, but took a while to explain the situation. Many thanks for any feedback.
DPS-KUL KUL-HKT HKT-USM
I was also told by the gate agent at KUL that my bag would go through to USM.
I had 2 nice flights on MH, and when I arrived HKT I took the 10 min. or so walk from intl. to domestic terminal for my flight to USM. To my surprise I was told when I tried to get my boarding pass to USM that my bag was NOT going to USM. I had to go back to the intl. terminal, was given various misinformation by HKT airport staff, finally found my luggage and had to go BACK to domestic for check-in to USM. I was really stressed since I was worried about missing my flight to USM. Finally was able to check in at HKT at least 90 min. after arrival of my MH flight. Such a stressful experience after paying $612 to MH for business class. Since I was given wrong info by 2 MH agents. do I have any grounds for asking for a refund from MH? Sorry for the long post, but took a while to explain the situation. Many thanks for any feedback.
I don't know if you bought your HKT-USM on a separate ticket or if it was on the same ticket, but if it was on a separate ticket, you are very lucky that they tagged it all the way through to USM because MH only interline bags with OW partners.
Having that said, what the MH agents at DPS and KUL said is right - your bag was tagged to USM and you should collect your bags at USM - what they probably wasn't aware was that you might need to collect your bags at the first international port of arrival. Thailand is weird in that you don't have to collect your bags at BKK (not too sure about HKT as I haven't done intl-dom transfer at HKT) if you have bags checked to certain domestic ports only.
Maybe USM doesn't support this or since 99% of HKT-USM pax are domestic only, they'll just ask the minority to collect bags at HKT and then re-check it.
Feb 21, 2017, 1:09 am
#34
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 19
Thanks a lot for taking the time to reply and for the great info. I bought the HKT-USM ticket separately, through Bangkok Air. Like you wrote (if I understood right) it's funny that the bag was checked straight through to USM but I needed to collect it and clear customs at HKT. From info gathered from you and other kind members I've realized that the situation was neither a bad one or indicative of MH's incompetence. Rather, I'm at peace with the situation and will remember only the great in flight service from DPS-KUL and KUL-HKT. Thanks again to you and other knowledgeable and helpful members!
Feb 21, 2017, 1:23 am
#35
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 19
I'd like to add a heads-up for other members who might some day be in a similar situation as I was with MH and Bangkok Air. In Feb. 2016 I was on the same itinerary DPS-HKT-USM, my bag was checked though to USM, and sent through to USM. I didn't need to collect it and clear customs in HKT. This year it seems the rules are changed, and I did have to collect the bag/clear customs in HKT. What I've learned is not to assume anything. It would have been better for me to check carefully with both MH and Bangkok Air well before my flight and not just rely on the info given by MH at check-in. Having said that, looking back at the flights it was all good (I love business class), I don't blame MH and I've learned something.
Hope this is instructive to other members also. I've learned much from this site and am happy to give a little bit back.
Hope this is instructive to other members also. I've learned much from this site and am happy to give a little bit back.
Feb 21, 2017, 2:03 am
#36
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: LCA/KUL/RGN
Programs: RJ Gold, AZ E+, Air Asia Platinum
Posts: 2,189
Thanks a lot for taking the time to reply and for the great info. I bought the HKT-USM ticket separately, through Bangkok Air. Like you wrote (if I understood right) it's funny that the bag was checked straight through to USM but I needed to collect it and clear customs at HKT. From info gathered from you and other kind members I've realized that the situation was neither a bad one or indicative of MH's incompetence. Rather, I'm at peace with the situation and will remember only the great in flight service from DPS-KUL and KUL-HKT. Thanks again to you and other knowledgeable and helpful members!
The fact that MH even agreed to tag the bag thru to USM is itself surprising, because MH is known to be problematic when it comes to thru tagging on separate tickets. If you did not ask the check in staff at HKT (you have done a very smart thing by asking) and arrived USM and found out that your bag has not been loaded on the PG flight, then PG would be responsible for locating your bag and reuniting you with it. You would also be able to claim for some minor expenses (toilitearies, change of clothes e.t.c.) and while the allowance varies by airine, it would be in the region of <100$.